The next morning, the Altaria and her two Swablu children, who had spent the night in the backyard, followed Aoki toward the mountain behind Verdanturf Town.
Behind the Verdanturf Town Gym lay an expansive mountain forest, largely untouched due to the lack of roads and the abundance of wild Pokémon.
Few people ventured into this area unless absolutely necessary.
Now, with the Verdanturf Town Gym's territorial claim over the region, even fewer dared to enter.
This meant the Altaria and her two Swablu could live freely without fear of disturbance.
And if anyone did disturb them... well, that would depend entirely on the Altaria's temper.
Given how she had once dominated a territory in the harsh environment of Neverland, this mountain behind Verdanturf Town would be no challenge for her.
With the Altaria now residing in the area, along with the Absol that had already claimed part of the mountain as its territory, Aoki doubted anyone would dare enter without his permission.
"Altaria, you can settle here for now," Aoki communicated through Telepathy. "The resources might be scarcer than what you're used to, but it's more than enough for living and training. It's also close to the gym, so if you'd like, you're welcome to visit the backyard for meals anytime."
The Altaria and her two Swablu had grown accustomed to Aoki's high-quality Pokéblocks and could no longer stomach ordinary wild berries or bland Trainer rations.
Hunger would inevitably drive them back to his backyard.
Aoki didn't release Altaria and the Swablu from their Pokeballs. Meaning that even if some one wanted to subdue them, they won't be able to.
His plan was subtle but effective.
By having the Altaria and her Swablu return daily for food, he was slowly binding them to his side.
And they had little reason to resist.
After all, what harm was there in accepting his hospitality?
The Altaria, despite her strength, had been stuck at the peak of the pseudo-Champion tier for years—long before her Swablu were even born.
With Aoki's guidance, breaking through to Champion level might finally be possible.
As for the two Swablu, they had been sheltered their entire lives.
Though older than Aoki's Drapion, they still behaved like hatchlings, both in mentality and battle experience.
In Neverland, their mother's protection had been enough.
But here in the outside world, where powerful Pokémon were everywhere, they would need to grow stronger.
And when the time came, the Altaria—who had no talent for teaching—would likely entrust their training to Aoki.
Not that he would refuse.
Nodding in understanding, the Altaria led her Swablu deeper into the mountain to prepare their new home, making small adjustments for comfort.
The two Swablu had already bonded with Aoki's Larvitar and the others, but under their mother's stern gaze, they reluctantly followed.
They would have to wait until mealtime to play again.
Once they were gone, Aoki walked to the base of the mountain—a secluded area directly connected to his backyard.
He pulled out over two hundred Pokéballs and released their occupants one by one.
The Carbink Minister emerged first, scanning the surroundings for threats like a dutiful guardian.
After confirming the area was safe, Aoki explained through Telepathy that this mountain would be their new home.
The Carbink would have free rein over the entire mountain, though the interior remained undeveloped.
Excavating and expanding their living space would be up to them.
This was no issue for the Carbink colony.
They had relocated many times before and were experts in reshaping terrain to suit their needs.
With Aoki's approval, the Carbink Minister immediately began organizing the others to dig out their new habitat.
As Rock/Fairy-types, they could absorb energy directly from minerals in the earth, so Aoki didn't need to provide food.
But as someone planning to "harvest" their diamond production, he had an incentive to speed up their growth.
Before leaving Neverland, he had prepared a solution: basic-grade Pokéblocks.
These would accelerate their energy absorption far more efficiently than scavenging from depleted rocks.
Given Aoki's current wealth, supplying basic-grade Pokéblocks was trivial.
If the Carbink colony stabilized quickly and began producing gems and rare ores, the profits would far outweigh his expenses.
And he already had a buyer in mind.
Steven, heir to the Devon Corporation, would gladly purchase the output—whether for personal use or resale through his family's channels.
The Devon Corporation consumed vast quantities of rare minerals annually, and the Carbink's gems were of higher quality than the ores Steven had previously sold to Aoki.
The deal would benefit both sides.
As the Carbink Minister led the excavation, Aoki kept one aside—the mutated Carbink.
The Minister didn't object.
A single Carbink wouldn't hinder the colony, and this one had already shown obedience to Aoki.
To the Carbink, Aoki was now a benefactor.
If he someday brought them a Diancie, his status among them would be second only to the legendary Pokémon itself.
Of course, Aoki had considered the possibility that he might never find a Diancie.
But after observing the mutated Carbink, he wondered if it could evolve into something new—perhaps a "Carbink General".
Only time would tell.